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Looper * * * *

Posted in Action, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2012 on December 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Rian Johnson.
Screenplay: Rian Johnson.
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Jeff Daniels, Pierce Gagnon, Noah Segan, Piper Perabo, Garret Dillahunt, Qing Xu, Frank Brennan, Tracie Thoms, Nick Gomez.

“12 Monkeys“, was the last time I seen a science fiction/time-travel movie that featured Bruce Willis and if that was anything to go by then this film could do no wrong. In hindsight, it’s not as tight or as clever as it thinks it is and it’s not quite up to the standard as the aforementioned Terry Gilliam movie but it’s still thoroughly good entertainment.

The year is 2044 and organised crime has a grip on society. Hit men (known as ‘Loopers’) are employed to execute people sent back from 30 years in the future. Time travel is illegal but being under the control of the mafia, it allows them to eradicate people without a trace. One of the rules of being a Looper though, is that they must execute their future selves when they are transported back. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a Looper but he fails to carry out the hit on his older self (Bruce Willis) and they are both forced to go on the run, potentially altering their future with very dangerous consequences.

For any good sci-fi yarn to work, it has to have an interesting and thought provoking concept. This film can certainly claim to possess that. All-be-it, it’s a little self-indulgent and doesn’t entirely hold up under scrutiny but once you let yourself go the film has a lot to offer. Wisely, it doesn’t overplay it’s futuristic setting, preferring instead to go for a more subtle and minimal approach. This helps in creating a better sense of realism for it’s genre and concept, as well as making it easier to identify with the characters – of which, the ubiquitous Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes central stage. Now, a lot has been said about the prosthetic make-up of Gordon-Levitt to have him look more like a younger Bruce Willis and I can see why people have had issues with it. For a start, it seems unnecessary to have a very talented young actor mimic one that isn’t exactly known for having a massive range in the first place. However, this was the path they chose tread and for the first half of the film I thought Gordon-Levitt captured the mannerisms of Willis very well indeed. In some ways, he gave a better performance as Willis than Willis does himself. The only problem I had with the make-up was the meticulously shaped eyebrows. They looked too dark, out of shape and well out of place. Anytime, Gordon-Levitt was onscreen in the latter half of the film, I was distracted by them. Not only did he not look like Willis, he didn’t even look the same way that he started the film. It was bizarre to say the least. That aside, the film is brilliantly structured, well realised and poses the odd noodle-scratching moment. My only criticism would be the second half; it takes the action away from the dystopian city and heads into rural farmland and around this time hits a bit of a lull. Its saving grace being an outstanding performance from young Pierce Gagnon who, just about, acts everyone else off the stage.
Upon it’s release it was heralded as 2012’s “Inception“. I wouldn’t go that far in my praise for this; it didn’t quite have that Nolan magic but in respect of being a piece of exciting and thrilling escapism, it’ll hold up amongst the best of the year. For that reason, filmmakers like Rian Johnson can’t be encouraged enough when they seem intent on delivering movies that an audience can really get embroiled in. I was a big fan of his modern-noir debut “Brick” and despite some critical panning, I also enjoyed his con-man follow-up “The Brothers Bloom“. This is, undoubtedly, a bigger step forward for Johnson but he handles it admirably and I can only hope he continues to provide innovative pieces of work like this, without the Hollywood studios getting their claws into him.

A smart and imaginative thriller that manages to squeeze out more mileage from the time-travel sub-genre. It does so by bringing a fresh and original approach to it’s paradox while also possessing a moral compass.

Mark Walker

37 Comments »

Escape From New York * * * *

Posted in Action, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 1981 on October 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: John Carpenter.
Screenplay: John Carpenter, Nick Castle.
Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, Harry Dean Stanton, Season Hubley, Tom Atkins, John Diehl, George “Buck” Flower,

During my childhood, I enjoyed many movies from director John Carpenter but it’s been a long time since I’ve revisited any of them. If truth be told, I kind of avoided them incase they didn’t hold up on reflection and quite frankly, I didn’t want my memory of them to be tarnished. The reason I’ve revisited this one is because Eric, who runs The IPC blog asked me to collaborate on a “double-take“, where we would compare our thoughts on a specific film. I’m glad I took part as this cult classic from my younger years still holds many memorable moments.

In the year 1997, the entire city of New York has become a maximum security prison, holding all of society’s criminals. All the bridges leading into the city are cut off, a large wall is built along the shoreline and a large police force is based there to stop any attempted escapees. Things take a turn for the worse though, when the President’s (Donald Pleasance) plane is shot down and he has to eject. Unfortunately for everyone he lands in New York forcing a rescue mission. It’s here that prisoner and ex-soldier Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is sent into the decaying city. If he manages to rescue the president then he’ll win his own life and freedom in return.

Straight from the off-set, this film sets the tone with Carpenter’s own foreboding music score, luring you into an anarchy ridden, post-apocalyptic New York. Like all of Carpenter’s works during the 70’s and 80’s, the concept is sheer brilliance. There are very few directors these days that have the vision or originality that this man had. Unfortunately, Carpenter can’t seem to hit the same heights these days but he was way ahead of his game around this time and this film stands as one of his most recognised and has a fervent cult following. Like a lot of cult movies though, it has it’s flaws; the settings are basic and it has the old flashing computers with an abundance of lightbulbs on show but it’s testament to Carpenter’s vision that his concept overrides these dated faults and the film still manages to remain suitably futuristic. Granted, in some cases it can come across as amateurish – even self-conscious – but good sci-fi primarily works on it’s idea’s and Carpenter certainly applies the idea well here. This is a film that confidently relies on it’s premise and it works an absolute treat. It is also helps that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and has it’s tongue stuck firmly in it’s cheek. That’s thanks-in-large to Kurt Russell, who delivers a string of great one-liners in a memorable and iconic central performance as Snake Plissken – one of cinema’s finest anti-heroes. Unfortunately, the film does succumb to some formulaic action material but it’s credit to Carpenter’s pacing and Russell’s wisecracks for keeping the films head above ground. Despite it’s style and substance becoming a casualty to the action, it’s still a lot of fun, regardless of it’s occasional wandering.

A great sci-fi cautionary tale that a contemporary audience can still identify with. It can also proudly take it’s place amongst the great B-movies and cult classics of our time and lasting proof, that John Carpenter was one of the finest directors working during the 1970’s & 80’s.

To read the “double-take” in full, visit Eric’s site here.

Mark Walker

51 Comments »

Cloverfield * * * *

Posted in Action, Horror, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2008 on July 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Matt Reeves.
Screenplay: Drew Goddard.
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T. J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Chris Mulkey.

Having recently watched (and thoroughly enjoyed) the latest of found footage film’s in “Chronicle“, I decided to look back at one of the sub-genre’s most critically praised. Now, when “Cloverfield” was released in 2008, I couldn’t really give two shits. However, I feel that might have judged this film unfairly and wanted to go back and give it another chance. After all, director Matt Reeves and particularly producer J.J. Abrams have built a steady reputation on the back of this.

While documenting a friends farewell party on video camera, a group of New Yorker’s find themselves videoing something else entirely. Their send-off is interrupted by an attack on the city as a massive and terrifying monster creates incredible havoc and tears the city apart.

As the film opens, we are given the gist straight away; middle-class yuppie-types with too much money and nothing to talk about. They have irritating mannerisms and deliver their dialogue in a resemblance of the kooky characters from the long-running TV show “Friends“. In this, I wasn’t sold. In fact, the only reason I persevered was just too see if any of them eventually got their heads ripped off. Thankfully, that wasn’t too far from the truth. After the long and protracted opening, the film suddenly jolts you to attention as panic sets in on the realisation that New York is under attack from some foriegn entity. The allegory to 9/11 is very apparent. As is the comparisons with another monster classic “Godzilla“. It’s at this point that you realise the dull opening was forgivable. Deliberate even. This isn’t a film about character development or even story. This is an unashamed monster/horror film about thrills and it’s a fine one at that. I have often proclaimed my dislike to a lot of found footage film’s and that particular style does become a bit irritating, not to mention disorientating here. However, it also works very highly in delivering the confusion and tension. The special effects are very impressive indeed and allow forgiveness for many of the film’s shortcomings. As mentioned, I had a real problem with the grating and shallow characters but, like most film’s of the found footage variety, you can imagine my delight at the realisation that there are very few, if any, survivors. That’s not say that I didn’t find myself rooting for them on occasion. I did, but that’s down the creativity of the filmmakers. Matt Reeves, (who done “Let Me In” – the American remake of the Swedish vampire movie “Let The Right One In“) does a sterling job in only his second directorial outing. He manages to mount the tension in abundance and he does it all, without the use of music. It was only after it was over and the credits were rolling that I realised my perception of this film had not been manipulated in any way, with an overbearing score.

You can see the clout that producer J.J. Abrams brings to the table here but his backing only allows a talented director to flourish. And that he does. This is a stylistically crafted, adrenaline filled, modern B-movie that commands your attention.

Mark Walker

11 Comments »

Chronicle * * * *

Posted in Action, Adventure, Science Fiction with tags 2012 on June 26, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Josh Trank.
Screenplay: Max Landis.
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen, Anna Wood, Rudi Malcolm, Luke Tyler.

Shaky-cam, found footage film’s have now become the rung on the ladder for budding filmmakers. Hardly a year goes by now, without at least one popping up on our screens. “The Blair Witch Project“, “Cloverfield” and the very successful “Paranormal Activity” are the most notable. This one though, is the most impressive.

Three teenage friends, Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) find a hole in the ground, in the middle of the woods. They go down and find a strange illuminated entity. When they emerge, they find that they have telekinetic powers and capabilities. As their great powers grow though, things start to get drastically out of hand.

I’m not a massive fan of superhero movies and quite frankly, I’m a bit tired of seeing them everywhere I look. This film could probably fall into that category but what this has in it’s favour, is a fresh delivery and a real sense of originality.
First off though, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the premise. I found it hard to believe that an awkward, hormone-raging teenager would actually decide to record everything he does on a video camera. To say the least, it stretched credulity. However, the filmmakers are wisely aware of this. They don’t pretend to just pass it off. What they do, is admit to it regularly throughout the early stages of the film. There are constant, self-conscious reminders of people unhappy with it and as result the protagonist takes a bit of a regular beating – but then you would probably do the same if someone had a camera stuck in your face all the time – so the self-conscious aspect pays off enough to keep your disbelief suspended. It even attempts to toss in some philosophical theories that tie-in nicely with the story. This may come across as a bit too ambitious for some but writer Max Landis and director Josh Trank are not arrogant in their delivery. They don’t explain in detail, leaving it wisely up to the intelligence of the audience to notice the references themselves. It’s a clever piece of subtlety that raises this film above the normal standard. One particular mention is of Plato’s allegory of “The Cave” which is entirely fitting for the unravelling of the story. It also explores the different nature in individuals and manages to incorporate a deep sense of ethics. Altruism and Hubris play a big part in the unravelling of the characters and with the level of intelligence and philosophical undercurrent, this is a welcome modern take on the superhero genre.
As the story progresses, the standard shaky-cam approach is gradually abandoned in favour of a
more ambitious style. In keeping with the plot, more inventive and convincing ways are delivered, freeing it from the shackles of it’s particular sub-genre.

A highly creative and ambitious endeavour that has set a benchmark for film’s of this type. It’ll be interesting to see if this style of filmmaking can actually be bettered after this.

Mark Walker

32 Comments »

Prometheus * * *

Posted in Action, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2012 on June 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ridley Scott.
Screenplay: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof.
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Rafe Spall, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Benedict Wong, Emun Elliott, Patrick Wilson.

It has been over three decades since director Ridley Scott made “Alien” in 1979. When news broke of his intention to revisit the genre of science fiction, the anticipation was huge. Originally, this was intended to be a prequel to his earlier film but on second thought, Scott decided to make it into an original film in it’s own right. For one, there’s no doubt that this IS a prequel and I can’t see why he’d proclaim it to be otherwise. For another, he should have decided on a different project altogether, as this doesn’t quite muster the thrills or atmosphere that viewers will, no doubt, expect.

In the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in the year 2089, scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover an ancient star-chart. It points to the possibility of other life forms in the universe. A crew is assembled aboard the ship ‘Prometheus’ and land upon LV-223, to further investigate. There is optimism amongst the crew that they will find the answers to the origins of humankind but what they get in return, is not entirely what they expected.

I tried to go into this avoiding the hype, the trailers and most critical opinions. I also tried to avoid comparing it to “Alien“. I didn’t want my expectations raised too high and for the most part, they weren’t. But whether, your expectations are high or not, there’s still no avoiding a lazy and abysmally written script.
As expected, Ridley Scott has crafted a fantastically visual spectacle. The opening scene alone, of sweeping landscapes and crashing waterfalls is one of wonderment and draws you right in. Scott sets his stall up well and with a patient hand, he introduces us to his not too distant future. As we know from another of Scott’s classic science fiction films, “Blade Runner“, he’s no stranger to exploring existential themes. He does so again here but only just touches upon them. He seems more in favour of delivering eye-candy than inviting us to ponder and it soon becomes apparent that this film is all about the look.
There is an eclectic mix of characters and upon their introduction, shades of the franchise are apparent – It’s basically the same formula all over again. The performances are good though and Noomi Rapace, in her first leading role, is commanding. The always reliable Michael Fassbender, once again, immerses himself and probably stands out as the highlight of the movie. Theron, however, is criminally underused and given very little to work with. As much as the actors deliver what they can with the material at their disposal, the characters are hollow and there isn’t really a particular one that takes centre stage or one that you’re able to identify with. Most of them, are actually just fodder for forthcoming mayhem. The major problem with them though, is that some of their motives are unexplained, leaving an obscurity to the film that I don’t think was intentional. On the surface, this has it all but it’s what’s underneath that counts and Scott has ultimately decided on a script that is far from satisfactory. Plot strands are lazily passed off, in favour of moving the story along to the next B-movie moment. There are some shocks and jumps but the lack of intelligence only grows stronger as the film heads towards it’s inevitable climax. As I sat with my other half in the darkened auditorium and the end credits began to role, she said one word that could strongly reflect most people’s opinions… “Bullshit”.

I find it hard to be as overly critical, as it’s visually ambitious and it’s conception is brilliantly realised but there’s no escaping the hollowness of it all. I’d love to rate this film higher but for anyone who appreciates my opinion, I’d be doing you a disservice. This is a classic casualty of it’s own hype.

Mark Walker

47 Comments »

In Time * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on May 5, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Andrew Niccol.
Screenplay: Andrew Niccol.
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Wilde, Johnny Galecki, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew Bomer, Yaya DaCosta, Ethan Peck, Toby Hemingway.

Writer/director Andrew Niccol is no stranger to scientific ideas. In 1997 he delivered the Orwellian genetic engineering “Gattaca“. In 2002 he tackled computer generated imagery in “S1mOne“. He also penned the predictory script to reality TV in 1998 with “The Truman Show“. Fantasy and Science Fiction seem to be genres that he’s comfortable with but this is not one of his better efforts.

In the not too distant future, people stop ageing when they reach 25. If they are wealthy though, they can buy time. The rest, have to work for it. Lifespan has replaced money in this dystopian world. One of the workers, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake), is gifted time from a suicidal friend, which allows him to escape his poor background and experience the life of the rich. But there are state police, known as “Time keepers” who are out to thwart his new life.

The premise to this is quite an intriguing one and the dystopian futuristic setting is wonderfully captured by the Coen brothers’ regular cinematographer Roger Deakins. It’s just a shame that with such a strong base to work from, it becomes nothing more than a chase thriller and abandons any attempt to delve into some possible existential theories. Even as a chase thriller, it lacks any form of excitement. It has it’s moments but ultimately the film takes too long in getting to it’s destination. Time is of the essence for it’s characters and ironically, it also gets taken from us, having to slog through this. I’m not Justin Trousersnake’s biggest fan, but he delivers a decent performance. However, the progression of his character as a future ‘Clyde’ to Seyfried’s ‘Bonnie’ is uneasy and a little hard to take. Cillian Murphy’s ‘Time keeper’ police officer is quite an intriguing one but he has little, to no, backstory. When we are given a glimpse into his character it’s too little too late. It’s this overwhelming feeling of emptiness that, as a whole, the film suffers from.

I didn’t go into this film expecting a masterpiece or anything but I still expected more than I got. Despite looking good on the surface, it’s ultimately hollow. Fans of the likes of “The Adjustment Bureau” may find more to savour though.

Mark Walker

16 Comments »

The Hunger Games * * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Adventure, Science Fiction with tags 2012 on April 9, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Gary Ross.
Screenplay: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones, Amandla Stenberg, Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jacqueline Emerson, Paula Malcomson, Dayo Okeniyi, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, Willow Shields.

Gary Ross has been involved in films for quite some time now. He received an Oscar nomination for his screenwriting duties on the Tom Hanks movie “Big” in 1988 but this is only the third time he has directed a film, following “Seabiscuit” and his very impressive debut “Pleasantville“.

“Capitol” is a wealthy city in a post-apocalyptic North America (now called “Panem”). It rules over the rest of the impoverished nation. In order to be perceived as generous, they hold an annual gladiatorial tournament called “The Hunger Games“, where the country’s youngest inhabitants are randomly selected to fight to the death. Only one can remain alive and receive their riches. After her young sister is selected to compete, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a defiant and accomplished survivor volunteer’s to take her place.

If you’ve seen the Japanese film “Battle Royale” or the Sci-Fi/Actioner “The Running Man” then you’ll be on familiar ground with this one. It’s basically the same premise. Considering the subject matter, director Gary Ross does well to tone down the violence on this one though, making the story more accessible to a relatively younger audience. After all, it was based on a best selling teen-novel by Suzanne Collins – who also co-writes the screenplay here. It’s starts very strongly in it’s introduction to a bleak futuristic America. The wealthy are all greed infused with bad tastes and flamboyant styles while the poor have to feed off the land and strive for whatever scraps they can (No change there then). Ross captures the divide admirably though and takes his time in building up The Hunger Games’ rules. It’s all about the entertainment for the well-off and it’s broadcast across the nation as an immersive reality TV show, meaning sponsors, trainers and promotors are all involved. Amongst the highlights of these are a shaggy Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, mentor to the contestants and a ruthless Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane, the gamemaker who oversees the action – sometimes manipulating it – by order of Donald Sutherland’s dubious paterfamilias President Snow. The real anchor though, is Jennifer Lawrence. Yes, there may be similarities with her Oscar nominated performance from “Winter’s Bone” but that’s no bad thing. The film relies heavily on her and she’s more than able to carry it. It does, however, go on too long and becomes a tad formulaic in it’s finale. The obvious set-up for part two doesn’t appeal either but other than that, this is a decent film.

Don’t let the fact that Suzanne Collins’ books were aimed at teenagers, put you off. This film manages to work on a level that will appeal to many.

Mark Walker

8 Comments »

Blade Runner

Posted in Film-Noir, Science Fiction on March 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ridley Scott.
Screenplay: Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples.
Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Joe Turkel, Joanna Cassidy, Brion James, M. Emmett Walsh, James Hong, Morgan Paull.

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time… like tears in rain…”

After Ridley Scott released Alien in 1979 it stood, for many, as one of science fiction’s best films. A mere three years after it, though, he delivered Blade Runner – another foray into sci-fi that was wrought with production problems; a less than happy crew and abundant studio interference. The end result, however, would lead you to believe that everything went smoothly as it soon became a cult favourite and still regarded as not only Scott’s best film but the definitive of science fiction movies. Continue reading →

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The Thing * * * 1/2

Posted in Horror, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on March 6, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr
Screenplay: Eric Heisserer.
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Eric Christian Olsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Paul Braunstein, Trond Espen Seim, Kim Bubbs, Jorgen Langhelle, Jan Gunnar Roise, Stig Henrik Hoff.

John Carpenter’s “The Thing“, released in 1982, is one of my all time favourite Sci-fi/Horror movies. It would have been lunacy to attempt a remake and thankfully, they haven’t. This is a prequel to the Carpenter classic and has similar ingredients. What it lacks though, is the level of terror that Carpenter could achieve.

Palaeontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) recieves a rare summoning to a Norwegian base in Antarctica to investigate a discovery they’ve made: an alien ship, buried beneath the ice for thousands of years, and its sole survivor. When it awakes, though, Kate realises it’s a shapeshifting monster that won’t stop until it’s assimilated the entire crew…

One of the intriguing parts of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” (which was a remake of the 1951 film “The Thing From Another World” and based on short-story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Jr) was the mystery surrounding the origins of the alien organism. Set three days before the opening of it’s predecessor, this sheds light on what actually happened, and how the marooned Norwegian scientists met their fate before the arrival of MacReady (Kurt Russell) and the American team in the 1982 production. The setting is captured perfectly with the Antarctic outpost recreated, from Carpenter’s vision, with meticulous detail but the intrigue of Carpenter’s production is the main ingredient that’s lacking and the atmosphere isn’t nearly as threatening. However, it’s still a competently handled horror flick by first time director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr, who, like director’s Ridley Scott or James Cameron uses a female as the strong central character. This doesn’t compete on the same level as the aforementioned directors’ science-fiction work but by using a female character – instead of treading similar ground with a Kurt Russell type hero – it brings a new vision that give this film a feel of it’s own. Winstead delivers a believable performance, with a bit of testosterone back-up from the reliable Edgerton. Between them, an able cast of unknowns and good attention to detail, this just about achieves what it sets out to do.

If you’re a fan of Carpenter’s film, then the chances are you’ll be interested in seeing this – if only, to get some backstory. If you don’t compare or expect too much, then you might just find that this works on it’s own terms. Nowhere near in the same class as Carpenter but it’s a decent attempt.

Mark Walker

3 Comments »

Perfect Sense * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Romance, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: David Mackenzie.
Screenplay: Kim Fupz Aakeson.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Ewen Bremner, Stephen Dillane, Denis Lawson, Connie Nielson, Alastair Mackenzie, Richard Mack, Stephen McCole.

Director David MacKenzie heads back to the city of Glasgow with Ewan McGregor, after their first collaboration in 2003’s “Young Adam“. That was a gritty and powerful film but here, both of them have excelled themselves, in one of the years most criminally overlooked films.

Michael (Ewan McGregor) is a Glaswegian chef who falls for scientist Susan (Eva Green). She happens to be investigating an epidemic and as they are getting to know each other, people the world over, begin to develop some strange behaviour which leads to them losing their sensory perceptions. First, the sense of smell goes, then taste and so on…

This may be compared (with it’s apocalyptic theme) to the recent Steven Soderbergh, lethal epidemic, film “Contagion“, or more so, Fernando Meirelles’ similar “Blindness” but you’d be doing this film a disservice if you go into it with preconceived ideas based on those lethargic and jaded deliveries. This is a completely immersive human drama that packs some real power and has more in common with one of my favourite films of recent years – Alfonso Cauron’s “Children Of Men“. It has the same stark approach; the authentic feel for the frailty of our society and the same potential demise of humankind. If the end was indeed nigh, you’d expect a bit of chaos and people acting, more than a little, peeved but director Mackenzie and screenwriter Kim Fupz Aakeson never force this issue, allowing the drama to unfold at it’s own pace, with highly effective mood established by the great use of austere Glasgow locations and haunting music by Max Richter. The two leads also help by delivering believable characters with subtlety and McGregor is given a rare chance to show his range – which he delivers admirably. Fine support is also supplied around him, particularly, some slight comic-relief from his “Trainspotting” co-star Ewen Bremner. The film itself, is essentially a love story but it’s a harrowing and heartbreaking one. As the couple are getting in touch with their feelings and exploring their love for each other, they are losing their sensory perceptions one by one. It’s an intriguing premise that builds slowly and Mackenzie’s assured mirroring of the sensory perceptions waning, allow the audience to better understand how it feels, before delivering one of the most powerful and unrelenting endings of the year.

An unconventional, thoughtful and ultimately poetic, ‘end of days’ drama that deserves to find a wider audience. In a year of films dealing with the nature of our existence – “The Tree of Life“; “Melancholia” and “Another Earth“, this stands as good as, if not better. Simply magnificent.

Mark Walker

12 Comments »

Another Earth * *

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Mike Cahill.
Screenplay: Mike Cahill, Brit Marling.
Starring: Brit Marling, William Mapother, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Jordan Baker, Flint Beverage, Robin Taylor, Rupert Reid, Diane Ciesla, Kumar Pallana.

Director Mike Cahill and star Brit Marling make their feature film debuts after their 2004 documentary “Boxers and Ballerinas”. Their earlier collaboration focused on the lives of people from different parts of the world. This film has a similar documentary style and explores a similar theme.

Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is a promising student who crashes her car one night, when news breaks that a duplicate Earth has been discovered. A family are killed in the crash but only her and the father John Burroughs (William Mapother) survive. On her release from prison four years later, Rhoda bluffs her way into Burroughs’ life as a cleaner, with the intention of easing her guilt and revealing herself as his family’s killer. Meanwhile, a competition is launched to find the first visitor to “Earth 2”, where the meeting of your ‘other self’ is a very real possibility.

This film has such an excellent concept, that’s so intriguing, that the delivery fails to do it justice. It’s slow and tedious. Keeping it as realistic as possible, Cahill’s handheld-camera is up close and personal to his characters. It add realism but ultimately fails to entertain. The philosophical questions posed are the closest you’ll get to any form of entertainment but these questions are better considered in your own time (read Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave”), rather than watching the tediousness played out onscreen. I normally enjoy speculative drama’s but this lost me about half way in. Not because it’s a noodle-scratcher but because it laboured on the grief and guilt of the main characters, rather than thoroughly exploring the possibilities of our doppelgängers from “Earth 2”. I can’t really fault director Cahill or the actors. They put in competent shifts but it’s the unexplored script that’s the problem. To start with such a hypothesis and then allow it to wallow and fritter out, is very discouraging. Granted, the budget isn’t high and it rests on it’s emotional and metaphysical core but it still falls into a very frustrating lull, from which it never recovers. It’s one that would play well alongside the existential films of Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” or Terrence Malick’s “The Tree Of Life” but it’s nowhere near in the same league, despite it winning the Sundance Film Festival.

Maybe on ‘another earth’, this film was a masterpiece. On ours though, it’s frankly… dull.

Mark Walker

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Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes * * * *

Posted in Action, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2011 on February 8, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Rupert Wyatt.
Screenplay: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver.
Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, Tyler Labine, Jamie Harris, David Hewlett, Ty Olsson.

In 2008 director Rupert Wyatt made his debut with British film “The Escapist”. It was a tense and excellently constructed prison drama that was seen by few. Thankfully, someone from across the pond took notice though and gave him a chance on a larger scale. He delivers big-time.

Will Rodman (James Franco) researching a cure for Alzheimer’s takes home a baby chimpanzee after its mother – supposedly a failed experiment – is destroyed. Caesar (Andy Serkis), the chimp, exhibits near-human intelligence, and comes to question his kind’s place on a human planet. After attacking a neighbour, Caesar is impounded and it’s here that he meets other apes and foments rebellion.

This is old school entertainment, in classic B-movie style. It has the hero with a heart and the stereotypical corporate villain. I don’t normally go in for big laden special effects films of this kind but it’s hard to resist when they’re this much fun. Andy Serkis seems to be the actor in the forefront of motion capture these days. His credentials including, “The Lord of the Rings”, “King Kong”, “The Adventures of Tintin” and the forthcoming “The Hobbit”. This, being no less effective. In fact, it may well be his finest yet. He delivers a subtle and soulful performance. As mentioned, the near flawless special effects play a big part in this and are, quick frankly, outstanding.
The biggest disappointment though, is the ending. It’s an obvious set-up for a sequel which leaves an unsatisfying conclusion and the feeling that you’ve just been teased.

As pure unadulterated entertainment this is second to none. One of the most fun-filled films of the year and my personal favourite from the apes franchise.

Mark Walker

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Melancholia * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Lars Von Trier.
Screenplay: Lars Von Trier.
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Jesper Christensen, Udo Kier.

With his “Nazi sympathiser” outbursts at the Cannes film festival – getting him thrown out and declared ‘persona non grata’, you’d be forgiven for expecting this latest from director Lars Von Trier to be provocative and disturbing like his previous films. However, it’s far from it and probably the most restrained and technically accomplished film of his career so far.

At her own wedding reception, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is overcome by depression and alienates everyone, including her new husband Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), her devoted sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law John (Keifer Sutherland). When a new planet, “Melancholia”, appears in the sky and is on a collision course with Earth, some believe it will fly-by, others are not so positive… Justine believes it to be the end.

The intellectual weight behind this one is not as heavy as you might expect from Von Trier. The heaviness comes in the form of watching very unhappy and angst ridden people for over 2 hours. Von Trier’s understanding and personal portrayal of mental illness may seem uneventful, but it’s captivating nonetheless. That’s by and large to his wonderfully artistic eye and strong performances from Dunst, Gainsbourg and Sutherland. The constant reminder of the descending planet adds an unbearable sense of foreboding, again, expressed through Justine and her everyday struggle with depression. The science fiction element to the story plays second fiddle to the human drama but it’s no less impressive. Much like Terrence Malick’s recent “The Tree of Life“, Von Trier is happy to use wondrous images of star forming galaxies. But where Malick explored the birth of Earth, Von Trier explores the destruction of it, making this an unofficially strange, yet apt companion piece. The baroque style that Von Trier employs is also highly effective. From the dominating architecture and artistic flourishes to the haunting classical score, culminating to an eerie and visually striking piece of cinema.

Provocateur Lars Von Trier is not so provocative this time around. Instead he delivers a personal understanding of mental illness, with highly artistic and meditative filmmaking.

Mark Walker

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Source Code * * * *

Posted in Mystery, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2011 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Duncan Jones.
Screenplay: Ben Ripley.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Brent Skagford, Cas Anvar, Michael Arden, Craig Thomas, Russell Peters.
Voice of: Scott Bakula.

Director Duncan Jones’ debut “Moon” has been one of the best science fiction films of recent times, causing obvious excitement and anticipation for his next project. Well… this is that project, and although it doesn’t quite match the quality of “Moon“, it cements Jones’ position as a great new talent.

US military helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is drafted as a test subject for a scientific process which can project his consciousness into the past (and another person’s body) for a limited time. Suspicious of his handler Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and the programme’s director (Jeffrey Wright), Stevens repeatedly lives through the last eight minutes of the life of a passenger on a commuter train which has just been destroyed by a terrorist bomb until he can find the person responsible.

There’s nothing quite like getting down to business and that’s exactly what Duncan Jones does here. Within minutes we are thrust into the action and spiralling plot and admirers of the television series “Quantum Leap” will no doubt realise that they are on familiar ground. In keeping with similiar themes from his previous film, Jones explores the isolation of Gyllenhaal’s character, which results in paranoia and distrust for those around him. Questions are also posed as to his identity and mortality, much in the same way of Sam Rockwell’s character in “Moon“. Two very different films sharing common themes. Jones is the type to include a few in-jokes in his films also. There’s a Chesney Hawkes ringtone being a reminder of Rockwell’s alarm clock in “Moon” and the voice of Gyllenhaal’s father provided by a certain Scott Bakula from “Quantum Leap”. Not to mention an uncanny likeness to (Jones’ father) David Bowie’s 1969 song “Space Oddity”. It’s a story that shares similarities with many before it… “12 Monkeys” and “Groundhog Day” being a notable couple. However, Jones makes his own impression on this common premise and is helped with great performances by his actors. The only problem was the questionable ending. It had it all wrapped up at one point before deciding on a crowd pleasing Hollywood number that let’s down an otherwise excellent film.

Intriguing and thought provoking. Keeping you hooked and interested from the get go. Science Fiction has a great future if Duncan Jones stays involved.

Mark Walker

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Super 8 * * * *

Posted in Mystery, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: J.J. Abrams.
Screenplay: J.J. Abrams.
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Dan Castellaneta, Glynn Turman, Michael Hitchcock, A. J. Michalka, Jessica Tuck.
Voice of: Bruce Greenwood.

Steven Spielberg serves as producer on this latest film from director J.J. Abrams, and if you hadn’t seen the credits or been told beforehand, you might well think he’d done more than produce. This is Abrams unashamedly emulating the great master.

Sneaking out at night with their Super-8 camera, to shoot a pivotal scene in their homemade zombie film, Joe (Joel Courteney) and his pals witness a dramatic train crash. After the mililtary move in to clean things up and some people begin to go missing, the boys realise that some form of creature escaped from the wreckage.

As several, if not all, of critics will have mentioned, this is reminicent of Spielberg’s earlier works. It has the same small town setting and wonder of “E.T.”, the same sci-fi influence of “Close Encounters…” and the same camaraderie of his earlier production of “The Goonies”. It’s 1970’s America is before the days of video games, were the kids still went out on their bikes and a ‘Walkman’ was a prized possession. Everything is captured in true Spielbergian style and Abrams’ attention to detail is flawless. So much so, that a young audience today may not identify with it, due to it’s old fashioned nature. I however, found it to be very refreshing indeed. They just don’t make films with as much heart as this anymore. It’s slow in the build up, with Abrams in no rush to reveal. He gives his cast of young talented unknowns a lot of room to manouevre and the familiarity between them is entirely believable. There’s so much going on with the strong characters that having the creature absent for most of the film and lurking in the background is entirely acceptable. It’s an old fashioned monster story (complete with miltary cover-up) that relies on the ability of it’s cast and doesn’t feel the need to go over the top with CGI. When it does reveal what’s lurking around the town, that’s actually when the film falters. Having it unknown for most of the film was part of the appeal but this is a small gripe in what’s a fresh contemporary movie.

Abrams has been a director that has given a much needed adrenaline shot to recent film franchises “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible III”, and this ability to inject some vitality into an old format doesn’t look like subsiding any time soon, if this latest delivery is anything to go by.

Mark Walker

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Paul * * *

Posted in Comedy, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Greg Mottola.
Screenplay: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost.
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kristen Wiig, John Carroll Lynch, Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, David Koechner, Blythe Danner.
Voice of: Seth Rogen.

After the British success of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, messers Simon Pegg and Nick Frost go American with this latest collaboration. Gone is director Edgar Wright from the aforementioned films and replaced by “Superbad” director Greg Mottola with mixed results.

Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are two British geeks on a road trip of the US. Along the way, they pick up an unexpected hitchhiker – a small, foul-mouthed alien called Paul (Seth Rogen), who enlists the duo to help him get him home. But the Government has other ideas, dispatching agents to pursue the trio.

Fans of Pegg and Frost will no doubt lap this up and some may even be happy about the arrival of Mottola. I however, find the comic duo a bit hit-and-miss and I find Mottola even less appealing. The highlight of this film is the voice and humour of Seth Rogen. In a film littered with unnecessary bad language the only one who can actually pull it off is Rogen. The rest of the cast attempt to, but it just comes across as desperate attempts at jokes that turn out to be completely lacking in hilarity, when they should really be splitting your sides. There is still entertainment to be had though, with enough in the tank to keep you amused but it’s far from hilarious. The sci-fi in-joke involving Steven Speilberg and his creation of “E.T.” is cleverly dropped in, as well as a few nods to “Close Encounters…”, “Star Wars” and “Aliens”. With a story that has enough strength to provide an abundance of jokes, it’s a shame they never seem to come, leaving all the good gags to Rogen, who effortlessly steals the film from everyone.

Another reasonably decent effort from Pegg and Frost but I think had Edgar Wright been involved, he could have complimented their brand of humour rather than Mottola’s profane punchlines that don’t always work. Fun, but a bit disappointing.

Mark Walker

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Sunshine * * * *

Posted in Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2007 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Danny Boyle.
Screenplay: Alex Garland.
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cliff Curtis, Troy Garity, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong.

Ingredients for a top of the range sci-fi =

1 dollop of “Solaris”.
Half oz of “Event Horizon”.
1lb of “Mission to Mars”.
A generous helping of “Alien”.
And a sprinkle of “The Shining”.

Give them to visionary director Danny Boyle to shake them up and… Voila.

In the not-too-distant future, the sun is about to die. A crew is sent to re-ignite it with a nuclear bomb; when they fail, a new team sets out to finish the job. But they find that flying to the least hospitable place in the solar system and staying sane and alive is no simple matter.

Boyle is Britain’s very own Ang Lee in his ability to continually switch between genres. This is his attempt at Science Fiction and it’s a damn good one at that. His use of atmosphere is the most striking thing about this, with eerie and highly effective sound effects and an excellent music score by Underworld adding to the overall sense of foreboding and creepiness. Using a multi-cultural cast also works in it’s favour in the way that you don’t know who will perish at any given moment, very much like Ridley Scott’s “Alien”. As mentioned above – and by most other viewers – it has a lot in common with several films of this genre and the denoument unfortunately turns more toward the “Event Horizon” side of horror. It doesn’t entirely work and feels a little tacked on, as if Boyle and writer Alex Garland ran out of ideas. However, this is still an impressively handled and often powerful outing for Boyle.

A very underrated addition to the science fiction genre and one of Danny Boyle’s finest films. His collaborations with writer Alex Garland has produced consistantly good results.

Mark Walker

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Monsters * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2010 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Gareth Edwards.
Screenplay: Gareth Edwards.
Starring: Scoot McNary, Whitney Able, Annalee Jefferies, Justin Hall, Victor Vejan.

Gareth Edwards deserves plaudits aplenty for this directorial debut. Not only is he the director, he’s also the writer, the cinematographer, the production designer and as if that’s not enough, he’s does the special-effects aswell. The only one that really needs honed though, is his writing.

Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) is an American photojournalist working in Central America. After a phone call, he’s compelled to pick up his boss’ daughter, Sam (Whitney Able), from hospital and see that she gets back home to America safely. Thus begins a fraught journey – and a tentative romance – as a series of mishaps force the pair to trek through ‘The Infected Zone’, a strip of land along the US border inhabited by gigantic extra-terrestrial creatures.

After being warned that this film was far from a big budget effects laden sci-fi, I went into this actually knowing what to expect. However, I still left it feeling disappointed. It’s undeniably impressive in being shot on a shoestring budget, using only one camera and a cast that consisted of only two trained actors, but overall, it’s frankly boring. It thinks it’s way more deeper than it actually is and there’s a massive essential ingredient missing from it… a story. It’s high on atmosphere and ambience but very low on excitement and thrills. I realise that Edwards shot the film as and when he could, without any pre-planned scripted scenes – which I greatly admire – but it doesn’t make for very good entertainment. The two unknown leads give fine performances but are left with a lot of staring into the beyond with slow meditative shots as they ponder their feeling for one another. The aliens or ‘creatures’ are kept to a minimum and finally when our two protaganists are treated to a touch of soft core alien porn, it helps them realise their own feelings. The title of the film is also a problem. Yes, it may well just be reffering to the American army, leaving devestation in their wake with their Gung-ho approach in eradicating the alien entities, rather than ‘monsters’ being the entities themselves. However, I still think the title is as misleading as the pace is misjudged.

An impressive low-budget shoot that definitely looks the part but despite it being hard to criticise a film that has been molded by the talents of one man, it’s still highly uneventful and painfully dull. It’ll be interesting to see what Gareth Edwards does next though, he’s certainly got the skills.

Mark Walker

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9 * * * * 1/2

Posted in Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Science Fiction with tags 2009 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Shane Acker.
Screenplay: Pamela Pettler.
Voices: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover.

These days kids are spoiled with an endless supply of high quality animated films. As a nipper I was content with an episode of “Thundercats” but the beauty of modern film animation is that some are aimed at adults also. This happens to be one that falls into that category.

In a post-apocalyptic future, sackcloth doll numbered “9” (Elijah Wood) wakes up to find that human beings have been eradicated from existence. As he explores the desolate land, he finds a small society of his handrafted kind struggling for survival against terrifying machines. Self-proclaimed leader “1” (Christopher Plummer) keeps his troops in hiding, but when “2” (Martin Landau) is abducted, “9” convinces them that they must attack to survive. Along the way they discover evidence from their deceased creator that they personally hold the last of what’s left of the human soul and preserving themselves is to preserve humanity.

This animated feature has had it’s fair share of criticism but at a running time of 1hour 19mins it’s hardly a massive commitment. In fact, I found it to be quite a pleasure. Where the criticism has been directed is in the story. Too shallow for adults and too dark for kids apparently. Granted, the old tried and tested post-apocalyptic earth, where silly humans have gone and eradicated themselves again, is nothing new and a bit tired, but this is just a vehicle for director Shane Acker’s imaginative little creations to come to life. And come to life they do. The animation is absolutely striking and each little hand crafted ‘stitchpunk’ is given individuality with painstaking attention. The emotional depth and expression of such similiar designed little characters is stunning. I found them very appealing indeed, and a pure joy to watch them on their adventure. This originally began as an 11minute short film (also called “9”) that director Shane Acker won an Academy Award for in 2005. This Oscar success obviously drew the attention of producers Timur Bekmambetov and Tim Burton who have indulged Acker’s vision with money, allowing him to elaborate on his story, and thankfully for us they did. This is animation at it’s finest and on a par with the best that Pixar have produced.

I’m very surprised at the criticism this little gem has come in for as this is a deep, beautifully realised science fiction yarn and a post-apocalyptic world that I hope to visit again soon. A pure visually arresting delight.

Mark Walker

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The Astronaut’s Wife *

Posted in Science Fiction, thriller with tags 1999 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Rand Ravich.
Screenplay: Rand Ravich.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron, Joe Morton Clea DuVall, Donna Murphy, Samantha Egger, Nick Cassavetes, Gary Grubbs, Tom Noonan.

Johnny Depp is one of those actors who has consistantly made brave choices throughout his career. There are few actors like him and although some of his choices work better than others, this is one that I’m sure he’d rather forget.

Jillian (Charlize Theron) lovingly greets her space-rocketeer husband Spencer (Johnny Depp) home from a mission, but after a mishap she soon begins to suspect that Spencer is not the same man and fears she may have been impregnated by an alien.

Although this a career move Depp would rather forget, he can’t be entirely blamed for the end product. He’s not in it enough to make any major impact and whenever he is, he’s reduced to a few sinister, brooding facial expressions. Theron’s character is the main focus here and despite her attempts at depth, she can’t save the film from being mind-numbingly boring and uneventful. She also sports a short blonde hairdo to further fuel the comparisons with “Rosemary’s Baby” during her pregnant paranoia. This is one of those straight to DVD films that remind you why not all films deserve a mainstream release. It’s pretty dire to say the least and you’re more likely to find more suspense while waiting on a bus. Quite possibly the worst of Johnny Depp’s films.

Despite the lead actors involved, steer well clear of this stinker. Do yourself a favour and watch Roman Polanski’s aforementioned horror masterpiece instead. He’ll show you how it’s done.

Mark Walker